United Nations: India has said that it stands ready to support all efforts aimed at resumption of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians to achieve a two-State solution as it called upon the parties to engage in constructive steps that create conducive conditions for the resumption of peace talks.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador T S Tirumurti said that India’s support for a peaceful resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict is consistent and well known.
“We believe that durable and long-lasting peace can be achieved between the people of Israel and Palestine only through a two-state solution which entails the establishment of a sovereign, viable and independent State of Palestine, within recognised and mutually agreed borders, living side by side with Israel in peace and security,” Tirumurti said on Tuesday.
“Unilateral actions that unduly alter the status quo on ground pose serious challenges and undercut the viability of the two-state solution. These must be avoided in the interest of peace and stability. Instead, parties must engage in constructive steps that create conducive conditions for the resumption of peace talks,” Tirumurti said as he called upon the parties to immediately make concrete efforts to reverse the negative trends.
Both the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for Statehood and Israel’s legitimate security concerns can be fulfilled through an open and direct dialogue between Israel and Palestine based on the internationally agreed framework, the Indian diplomat said, reiterating that there is no alternative to direct peace negotiations between the parties.
“Thirty years ago, the international community helped open a channel for direct talks between Israel and Palestine through the Madrid peace conference. A similar effort is required now to overcome the present impasse. India stands ready to support all efforts aimed at resumption of direct negotiations and facilitating the peace process to achieve a two-State solution,” he said.
Noting that Resolution 2334 calls upon parties to prevent all acts of violence against civilians and stresses that all settlement activities must cease, Tirumurti said the recent developments on ground indicate that the resolution is yet to be implemented in its letter and spirit.
“Violent attacks against Palestinian and Israeli civilians have continued during the reporting period. So have the acts of destruction, provocation and incitement. We condemn all such acts. Prospects of possible eviction of the Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah remain high. Tension continues to prevail at the holy sites of Jerusalem. Settlement activity has resumed after a brief hiatus,” he said.
Noting that the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority have opened a channel of communication, Tirumurti said India encourages “everyone to build on such measures and create more avenues of co-operation, which can help overcome the trust deficit.”
PTI